Lawyers and notaries employed by the Société Québécoise des Infrastructures have voted to authorize a potential strike that could escalate to a full-blown general strike.
These legal professionals are part of the LANEQ union, Les Avocats et notaires de l’État québécois, an independent union not affiliated with national labor federations. The decision to support the strike mandate was unanimous among the approximately 20 members working for the state-owned company. Their role at the company involves assisting public bodies in overseeing their infrastructure projects.
The union has expressed frustration over the lack of negotiation sessions with the employer since June. The primary issue sparking this action is the demand for equal pay compared to other public service lawyers, also under LANEQ representation.
As of the time of writing, the Société Québécoise des Infrastructures (SQI) had not provided any comment when reached via email.
The union is optimistic that the recent change in government leadership will bring about a resolution to the impasse. Me Alexis Milette, the union president, expressed hope that the incoming government led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will facilitate negotiations and lead to a mutually agreeable solution, citing successful past agreements with the Quebec government, the Quebec Revenue Agency, and the Energy Board.
